Shoe and method of manufacturing same

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a shoe having an outsole of elastic material in which the connection between the outsole and the insole is interrupted at least in that area of the insole that underlies the ball portion of a wearer&#39;&#39;s foot. According to the invention, the interruption of the connection is accomplished by cutting out such area of such insole to leave an opening that is filled with elastic outsole forming material. There is further disclosed a method of making such a shoe in which an upper joined to an insole provided with an outsole connection interrupting means in the form of a cut-out is pulled over a last, a mold cavity is closed by the last and outsole forming material introduced into such cavity to mold an outsole and bond same to said formed upper and insole except at the area provided with said connection interrupting means.

Q United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,724,104 Eder et al. 1 Apr. 3, 1973 54SHOE AND METHOD OF 3,070,909 1 1963 Binder et al. ..36/l4 NU T RIN M3,552,041 1/1971 Batchelder etal. ..36/43 [75] Inventors: Otto Eder,Ternitz; Wladimir RE NT OR APPLICATIONS Hascic, Maria Enzersdorf, bothof Austria 223,748 10 1924 Great Britain ..36/32 R [73] Assignee:Semperit Aktiengesellschaft, Vienna, primary E i Alf d Guest AusmaAttorney-Werner W. Kleeman [22] Filed: Jan. 18, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21]Appl. No.: 107,000

There is disclosed a shoe having an outsole of elastic Related US.Application Da material in which the connection between the outsole [62]Division of sen 839 728 July 7 1969 Pat and the insole is interrupted atleast in that area of the 3,605,290 insole that underlies the ballportion of a wearers foot. According to the invention, the interruptionof 52 US. (:1. ..36/14,- 36/32 R the connection is accomplished yslitting out such 51 Int. c1.....' ..A43c 13/08 area of such insole toleave an Opening that is filled [58] Field of Search ..36/l4, 32 R, 43with elastic outsole forming material There is further disclosed amethod of making such a shoe in which an [56] References Cit d upperjoined to an insole provided with an outsole connection interruptingmeans in the form of a cut-out UNITED STATES PATENTS is pulled over alast, a mold cavity is closed by the last 171,987 1/1876 Burke ..36/43and outsole forming material introduced into such 1,206,749 11/1916Burnham.... ..36/14 cavity to mold an muscle and bond same to said2,132,882 10/1938 Rigandi ..36/43 UX formed upper and insole except atthe area provided 2,209,387 7/1940 Cort ..36/43 X with said connectioninterrupting means. 2,551,885 5/1951 Johnson ..36/32 R 3,026,636 3/1962Fridrich ..36/l4 10 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Pmnnmma 197s 3.724.104

sum 1 HF 41 INVENTORS A/LHO/M/R HHSC /c.

BY [L J( g LL" bdeavnc Um ATTORNEY SHOE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING SAMECROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED CASE The present application is a divisionalapplication to our commonly assigned co-pending United Statesapplication, Ser. No. 839,728, filed July 7, 1969, and entitled Shoe andMethod of Manufacturing Same, and now U. S. Pat. No. 3,605,290 (issuedSept. 20, 1971).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates broadly to theart of footwear. More particularly this invention relates to a shoehaving an outsole of elastic material, as well as to a method ofmanufacturing such shoe.

In the art of manufacturing shoes it has become known to secure outsolesmade of elastic material such as rubber, PVC, polyurethane, or the like,the shoe up pers by either connecting the upper to the insole andadhesively bonding a separately formed outsole to the joined upper andinsole,.or by putting the elastic outsole forming material into amoldclosed off by a last over which the upper has been pulled or stretched,and by bonding said elastic outsole material directly to the lastedupper under heat and pressure.

The material of the upper can be connected with the insole either bystitching or adhesive bonding. Where the upper is made of leather, itslower most peripheral edge portion is mostly laid over the outer edge ofthe insole to form a so-called cover infold or overlapwhich in turn canbe secured to the insole by stitching, tacking, gluing or other adhesivebonding. The insole itself can be made of fabric, leather, twill, (amaterial known in the trade as MOLLINO), cardboard, or the likematerial.

At present, the material of the outsole is generally connected with theupper and thus with the insole over its entire surface since theendeavor has always been to obtain the best possible adhesion.

For instance, if the outsole is to be bonded adhesively, the entiresurface of the foot area of the joined upper and insole is covered withadhesive, whereupon the sole is applied. This has the purpose that inthe event the adhesive bonding loosens or is disrupted at the coverinfold or overlap, the outsole is still attached to the insole at leastin the area of the middle of the ball portion of the foot.

However, as the shoe is worn during walking, the surface of the soleexpands as a result of bending or flexing of the outsole during walking,thus resulting in a certain change in the length of the outsole. Byvirtue of the fullsurfaced adhesion of the elastic rubber, PVC orpolyurethane outsole to the insole, the latter not being able to yieldto the expansion to the same extent, this change in length has an effectonly in a small area of the bent or flexed outsole. This area istherefore subjected to a percentage-wise particularly heavy strain orstress. As a result, the tendency of the adhesive bonding to break andalso the subsequent growth of the break or disruption, if it does occur,increases greatly in this area during use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Thus this invention has for an object toprovide a shoe in which the connection of the outsole to the insole isinterrupted at least in the area of the ball portion of the foot, thatis to say that the elastic outsole material is only firmly connected tothe upper along the outside or peripheral edge, for example in the areaof the so-called cover infold or overlap, but where the remainingoutsole surface is maintained freely movable relative to the insole, inparticular in the area where the outsole bends or flexes during walking.This can be achieved in such manner, for instance, that a separatingmeans or a separating foil is provided on the underside of the insole,i.e. between the insole and the outsole.

Suprisingly it has been shown that the extension in length of the sole,as the foot bends during walking generally does not extend over theentire width of the shoe, since the thickness of the sole mostlyincreases toward the outside. Therefore, the strain or stress isrestricted to a relatively narrow zone in the area of the ball portionof the foot with said zone comprising approximately half of the lengthof the forefoot portion of the sole structure.

By virtue of the proposed measures, the change in length of the soleduring bending of the foot is transferred to the entire length of saidball portion area which is not connected with the insole so that thepercentage-wise stress of the sole material is significantly smaller.This greatly reduces the tendency or susceptibility of the bond to breakor be disrupted and also greatly reduces the growth of any disruptionthat may occur.

The separating means, in particular for polyurethane, but also for PVCif one deals with generally fibrous or porous insole materials to whichPVC normally adheres or bonds, can be a wax, silicone oil or the like.For rubber outsoles, one can also use for example,

a watery paste or suspension of zinc stearate and chalk. The separatingmeans must be distributed evenly over the surface and must be present insufficient quantity in order to insure safe separating action. In placeof a separating means which is coated, sprayed-on or spread-on, one canalso use a foil having a separating action. This foil can be inserted orapplied, and can be, for example, polyethylene, or polypropylene foil ora siliconized or silicone coated paper.

The separation layer, after pincing, tacking, nipping, or stitching ofthe insole to the upper, but before applying the outsole, is put on thedesired ball area of the insole. If the separation means is a solution,the solvents are preferably evaporated before the insole is applied.

According to a further embodiment of the instant invention, inparticular for shoes which are not joined adhesively, one can also usean insole material to which the elastic sole material does not adhere,such as lined fabric, silicone coated paper or the like, with theseparating surface directed downwardly or toward the outsole.

The inventive effect can also be obtained if the insole is cut out orapertured at least in the ball portion and that this cut-out area isfilled with the elastic material of the outsole. In this case, duringinjection molding of an outsole to the shoe, the outsole material alsoreaches into the area of the cut out with the last forming a componentof the mold. The last must therefore be coated or spread with aseparation means or be covered with a separation foil. It isadvantageous in this case that the insole possess a thickness which isthin as far as possible in relation to the thickness of the outsole, asotherwise the stress arising during bending of the shoe would againtransfer more-and in undesirable manner-to the then thinner areas of theoutsole connected with the insole than to the thicker areas notconnected to an insole.

In order to provide a shoe having the greatest possible elasticity, itis advantageous if the smallest width of the passage formed between thecut-out area and the outside or peripheral edge of the insolecorresponds at least to the width of the pinced overfold or the extentof overlap of the inner edge portion of the upper relative to theinsole. By locating the edges of the cut out in the immediate proximityof the pinced overlap, the required elasticity of the sole is achieved,while still preventing disturbing of the required rigidity at theperipheral sole edge.

It has previously been proposed to injection mold outsoles to shoeuppers not provided with an insole, but it has been shown that thismeasure reduces the shoe's strength.

In order to manufacture an inventive shoe, there is proposed a methodwhich is characterized such that a shoe upper with an insole having acut out is pulled over a last whereupon the same is placed upon a moldto close the same and the outsole material is injected with the outsolematerial filling up the cut out area in the insole up to the lastsurface. A part of the elastic material passes through the cut out intothe inside of the shoe and can there distribute along the last and theinsole, respectively. It is necessary here to provide the last with aseparation means or a separation foil. In order to prevent this, aninsole cover can be inserted between the last surface and the insole.This insole cover can be made of plastic, paper, fabric, syntheticleather or the like. During the injection molding process, a part of thesole material flows between the insole cover and the insole per sewhereby these two are firmly bonded to one another. The elasticity ofthe sole bonding is not impeded in this mode since the insole cover issubstantially more elastic than the insole.

If during the injection molding process hermetic upward closure of thesole mold is not insured by virtue of utilizing the insole cover, thenthe latter can be suitably deleted during the injection process and canbe adhesively secured within the shoe after completion of the moldingprocess and removal of the shoe from the last.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further and more specific objects andadvantages of the present invention will become readily apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in longitudinalvertical cross-section, illustrating one embodiment of a shoe inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating the insole of the shoe shown in FIG.1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are views similar to FIG. 2 but respectively illustratingdifferent embodiments of the insole arrangement;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and illustrating an outsole connectedto an insole provided with a cut-out area;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 and illustrates the shoe according toFIG. 5 provided with an insole cover;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the insole embodied with the shoes shown inFIGS. 5 and 6; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are top plan views of modified forms of insoles having acut-out area therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, a shoe 1 according to a first embodiment of thisinvention includes an insole 2 having peripheral edge portions 3 thatare overlapped or covered by the inner peripheral edge portions of theupper 4. The upper is joined to the insole during the production of theshoe by known methods such as adhesive bonding, stitching or tacking. Anelastic material outsole 5 is connected to the lasted upper and insoleby a molding technique such as injection molding, by vulcanization or byadhesive bonding. According to the invention, the area of the insolethat would underlie the ball portion of the wearers foot, as shown bythe portion 6 outlined by a dashed line, has applied thereto aseparation means indicated at 11. This separation means can comprise acoating such as of wax or silicone oil if a PVC or polyurethane outsolematerial is used with a fibrous or porous material insole, or a paste orsuspension of zinc stearate and chalk if rubber is used for the outsole.Also, the separation means can comprise a foil of polyethylene orpolypropylene or a silicone coated paper. Broadly, therefore, theseparation means prevents the material of the outsole from adhering toor bonding with the ball portion area of the insole indicated at 6.

FIG. 3 illustrates another insole arrangement 2' in which the area 6'indicated by dashed lines is enlarged to comprehend the forefoot portionof the insole. Thus separating means such as a coating or a separatefoil or coatedpaper is applied over this area 6' the outer periphery ofwhich extends essentially into proximity of the inner periphery of thecover infold or overlap 7 of the upper. Thus there is a greater area ofthe insole 2 that is not adhered to or bonded with the elastic materialof the outsole.

In FIG. 4 there is illustrated an insole 2" in which the separationmeans is applied over an area 6" that extends over substantially theentire surface of the insole inwardly of the cover infold or overlap 7of the upper.

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 relate to a shoe arrangement 1 in which an insole 8 hasa cut-out or aperture 9 formed therein in the portion of the insole thatwould underlie the ball of the wearers foot, see FIG. 7. FIG. 5illustrates that during the forming of the elastic outsole 5, thematerial thereof flowed into the cut-out area 9 of the insole up to thelast surface when the mold is closed by the last. FIG. 6 illustrates ashoe utilizing the upper of FIG. 7 and further provided with an insolecover 10. This insole cover or cover insole can be bonded with theinsole or outsole, respectively, by means of the introduced elasticoutsole forming material during formation of the outsole oralternatively, the insole cover 10 can be adhesively secured within theshoe after the outsole has been formed and bonded to the joined upperand insole.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate further embodiments of insoles having modifiedcut-out areas therein. The insole 8' of FlG. 8 having a cut-out area 9'that extends over the forefoot area of the insole and into closeproximity to the adjacent inner peripheral edge of the cover infold oroverlap 7 of the upper. In this regard, the narrowest width B of theinsole material strip between the outer periphery of cut-out area 9' andthe outer peripheral edge of the insole shall be equal to or greaterthan the width or extent b of the overlapped portion 7 of the upper. Theinsole 8" shown in FIG. 9 has a plurality of longitudinally spaced cutouts 9" which extend parallel to one another and transversely of thelongitudinal axis of the shoe. With this arrangement a too severeweakening of the insole in the area of the cut outs is prevented.

While there is shown and described present preferred embodiments of theinvention, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is notlimited thereto but may be otherwise .variously embodied and practicedwithin the scope of the following claims. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

l. A shoe comprising an upper having an inturned flap,

an insole secured to said upper inturned flap,

an outsole of moldable elastic material directly bonded to said upperand insole at least along the periphery of said insole;

said insole comprising'aperture means formed in the ball portion regionof said shoe for effecting a nonsecured relationship between said insoleand said outsole and for permitting said outsole to expand independentlyof said insole in said ball portion region;

said aperture means having lateral edges in the immediate proximity ofsaid upper inturned flap and a front to back dimension at least coveringthe area of the insole that underlies the ball portion of a wearersfoot.

2. The shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper inturned flapoverlaps the outer edge portion of said insole.

3. A shoe as claimed in claim 1, wherein said insole has a plurality oflongitudinally spaced apertures therein extending parallel to oneanother and transversely of the longitudinal axis of said insole.

4. A shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the extent of the portion ofsaid insole between the periphery of said apertures and the portion ofthe outer peripheral edge of said insole being at least equal to theinward extent of said inturned flap portion of said upper.

5. A shoe as claimed in claim 4, in which the extent of said portion ofsaid insole between the periphery of said aperture and the adjacentportion of the outer peripheral edge of said insole is greater than theinward extent of said inturned flap portion of said upper.

6. A shoe as claimed in claim 7 wherein said insole cut-out is filledwith the elastic material of said outsole so as to interrupt theconnection of said outsole to said insole at said area.

7. Method of manufacturing a shoe comprising providing an upper havingan inturned flap, connecting an insole to said upper inturned flap,pulling said connected upper and insole over a last, closing a moldcavity with said last with said connected upper and insole at the up erend of said cavity forming an outsole of mo dable elastic materiadirectly onto said upper and insole at least'along the periphery of saidinsole by introduction of said elastic material into said cavity, saidinsole being formed with aperture means in the ball portion region ofsaid shoe for effecting a non-secured rela tionship between said insoleand said outsole and for permitting said outsole to expand independentlyof said insole in said ball portion region, said aperture means havinglateral edges in the immediate proximity of said upper inturned flap anda front to back dimension at least covering the area of the insole thatunderlies the ball portion of a wearers foot.

8. A method of manufacturing a shoe as claimed in claim 7, including thestep of interposing a cover insole between said last and said insole.

9. A method of manufacturing a shoe as claimed in claim 7, including thestep of applying an insole cover over the upper surface of said insole.

10. A method of manufacturing a shoe as claimed in claim 7 including thestep of completely filling said aperture area of said insole with saidelastic material from said outsole.

Patent N D d April 3,

Inventm-(s) Otto Eder and Wladimir Hascic It is certified that errorappears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, claim 3, line 43, change "has" to --apertur e means comprises-Column 6, claim 4, line 3, replace "apertures" by -aperture means aColumn 6, claim 5, line 8, after "aperture" insert --means--- Column 6,claim 6, line 11, change "7" to -l-' Column 6, claim 6, line 12, replace"cut-out"- by -aperture means-- Column 6, claim 6, line 12, after"outsole" place a period Column 6", claim 6, cancel lines l3and l4Signed and sealed this 13th day of November 1973.

(SEAL) Attest: v I

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. RENE 'D. TEGTMEYER Attesting Officer ActingCommissioner of Patents 10-69 6 F Po uscoM -oc wan-Pea U.5. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: Pl 9-366-3

1. A shoe comprising an upper having an inturned flap, an insole securedto said upper inturneD flap, an outsole of moldable elastic materialdirectly bonded to said upper and insole at least along the periphery ofsaid insole; said insole comprising aperture means formed in the ballportion region of said shoe for effecting a non-secured relationshipbetween said insole and said outsole and for permitting said outsole toexpand independently of said insole in said ball portion region; saidaperture means having lateral edges in the immediate proximity of saidupper inturned flap and a front to back dimension at least covering thearea of the insole that underlies the ball portion of a wearer''s foot.2. The shoe as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper inturned flapoverlaps the outer edge portion of said insole.
 3. A shoe as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said insole has a plurality of longitudinally spacedapertures therein extending parallel to one another and transversely ofthe longitudinal axis of said insole.
 4. A shoe as claimed in claim 1wherein the extent of the portion of said insole between the peripheryof said apertures and the portion of the outer peripheral edge of saidinsole being at least equal to the inward extent of said inturned flapportion of said upper.
 5. A shoe as claimed in claim 4, in which theextent of said portion of said insole between the periphery of saidaperture and the adjacent portion of the outer peripheral edge of saidinsole is greater than the inward extent of said inturned flap portionof said upper.
 6. A shoe as claimed in claim 7 wherein said insolecut-out is filled with the elastic material of said outsole so as tointerrupt the connection of said outsole to said insole at said area. 7.Method of manufacturing a shoe comprising providing an upper having aninturned flap, connecting an insole to said upper inturned flap, pullingsaid connected upper and insole over a last, closing a mold cavity withsaid last with said connected upper and insole at the upper end of saidcavity, forming an outsole of moldable elastic material directly ontosaid upper and insole at least along the periphery of said insole byintroduction of said elastic material into said cavity, said insolebeing formed with aperture means in the ball portion region of said shoefor effecting a non-secured relationship between said insole and saidoutsole and for permitting said outsole to expand independently of saidinsole in said ball portion region, said aperture means having lateraledges in the immediate proximity of said upper inturned flap and a frontto back dimension at least covering the area of the insole thatunderlies the ball portion of a wearer''s foot.
 8. A method ofmanufacturing a shoe as claimed in claim 7, including the step ofinterposing a cover insole between said last and said insole.
 9. Amethod of manufacturing a shoe as claimed in claim 7, including the stepof applying an insole cover over the upper surface of said insole.
 10. Amethod of manufacturing a shoe as claimed in claim 7 including the stepof completely filling said aperture area of said insole with saidelastic material from said outsole.